Fanrip Review: [HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator (Episode 03)

This post was written by Dark_Sage. He is Dark_Sage.

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I suppose if you would rather perform a self-induced abortion with a clothes hanger than watch a gg release, this might be worth waiting for. gg’s release isn’t good either, but at least it comes out quickly.

Table of Contents

Release Information

Visual Quality

Script Quality

Results

Release Information

Episode details.

Release format: MKV (335 MB, 8-bit)

Japanesiness: No honorifics, western name order.

English style: Dictionary English.

Encoding details: http://pastebin.com/v48FFs5B

Speed: Slow (>48 hours)

Note: The subtitles are hardsubbed.

 

External links.

Fansub.co screenshot comparisons: N/A

Subbusu screenshot comparisons: N/A

 

Visual Review

Karaoke.

No OP/ED. This is a streamrip.

 

 

Typesetting.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_06.59_[2013.05.05_22.49.24] [HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_09.39_[2013.05.05_23.01.23]

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_10.07_[2013.05.05_23.02.14] [HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_10.14_[2013.05.05_23.02.25]

The quality you’d expect from official releases.

 

Other.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_07.30_[2013.05.05_22.55.10]

720p, super HQ. Now featuring: grids!

 

 

Script Review

Main Script – Part A.

I really didn’t wanna go too much into these issues since the crux of this release’s failure is in Part B. But have some fuck-ups anyway.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.20_[2013.05.05_22.39.25]

Top-tier subtitle standards. Screw using multiple colors to designate when multiple people are speaking at the same time. Dashes are much more fashionable-

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_07.35_[2013.05.05_22.56.48]

Aniplex tries its best to channel the Underwater of years past by taking nearly every line and slicing it in twain. I mean, research probably shows it’s easier to read lines when they’re stacked like this. And you can’t argue with research!

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a

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?

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.55_[2013.05.05_22.42.18]

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.46_[2013.05.05_22.40.08]

Unfortunately, the result is both hideous and confusing, the equivalent of… something hideous and confusing.

Okay, gimme a break, it’s an official sub review and I have more pressing posts to get to. Choose your own insult.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.50_[2013.05.06_09.56.46]

Bold move. However, gg had “email address”, which is slightly different. And I’m inclined to believe that a Japanese show isn’t gonna come out and have a character say, “here’s my address, let’s fuck until the dye comes out of my hair.”

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_05.59_[2013.05.05_22.44.04]

Lines like this are very… oh, what’s the term? The literary equivalent of suicide headaches.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_06.06_[2013.05.05_22.45.12]

Though you’d think I’d be distracted by the barely visible nipples

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_07.15_[2013.05.05_22.49.52]

I don’t know, I think you would.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_08.34_[2013.05.05_23.00.06]

Aniplex appears to be playing the “I hope the viewers’ brains autocorrect this line” game. Did they win?

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_10.49_[2013.05.06_12.14.07]

And how the fuck’s he gonna manage that? What, Haruto’s just gonna teleport into a match that’s already going on? Aniplz.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_15.05_[2013.05.05_23.11.46]

Language nerds, yes, this is actually what they put. You may commence facepalming now.

gg had “Who died and made her queen?” which is pretty much the ideal line.

 

 

Main Script – Part B.

This is important enough that I gave it its own section. Behold Aniplex’s English:

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_04.12_[2013.05.05_22.39.11]

Throughout this release, the script is extremely unnatural to the point of unintentional parody.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_06.33_[2013.05.05_22.47.45]

With nearly every line, canned translations are the norm, and any opportunities to show characters’ personalities or strengthen the quality of the show through the script are lost.

[HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator - 03 [720p].mkv_snapshot_14.25_[2013.05.05_23.08.20]

Now, I know a certain subset of the anime community demands awkward phrasing and treats it as the pinnacle of perfection, praising it under the guise of “literal translations”. But this script goes far beyond that and into indefensible territory. This is a very poorly written script that is difficult to recommend to any but the most stout souls. But even they would be better off grabbing a stout and drinking until the RAW became understandable.

Avoid for your own sake.

 

 

Results

Watchability: Watchable.

Visual grade: N/A

Script grade: D (Cue the “why no ‘F’?” comments. Hint: It’s because I’ve lowered my standards these past two seasons.)

Overall grade: D

If you think you’ll enjoy reading the equivalent of a grammar-checked Google Translation, this release is the right one for you. But if you demand higher quality than scripts written for and by robots, you’ll want to look elsewhere.
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23 thoughts on “Fanrip Review: [HorribleSubs] Valvrave the Liberator (Episode 03)”

  1. And they’re still going to charge 150 bucks (at least) for the BDs without dubbing it. Oh, Aniplex…

    Reply
    • Hm, at first glance I autocorrected too. Originally I thought the comment was about “I’ll” where it might better be “I could” or something else. It’s not like he’s declaring that he’s definitely going to bite them all in the future.

      Reply
  2. Grid comment is too true. After having fine video the past season or two, HS has gone back to having “banding” issues in almost every show this season. It’s especially bad in DS2 to the point I switched groups.

    Reply
  3. A grade of F (or even D-) is what this release truly deserves. Please consider revising your grade, Dark_Sage.

    Reply
  4. The school line looks like either an editor’s brainfart or a QC who didn’t know the phrase “since last I saw it” – though if the editor used that originally, that’s still pretty lol.

    Reply
  5. Given their pace I can imagine you probably won’t review Oni’s version, but any plans for LBB? They just started from ep 5 and were the first subs this week

    Reply

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